2 USamuyeli 23

1 La ngamazwi okucina kaDavida: “Umbono kaDavida indodana kaJese, umbono womuntu owaphakanyiswa ngoPhezukonke, umuntu owagcotshwa nguNkulunkulu kaJakhobe, umhlabeleli wezingoma ka-Israyeli:

Now these are David’s last words. David the son of Isai said: The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said:

2 Umoya kaThixo wakhuluma ngami, ilizwi lakhe lalisolimini lwami.

The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue.

3 UNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wakhuluma, iDwala lika-Israyeli lathi kimi: ‘Lapho umuntu ebusa abantu ngokulunga, lapho ebusa ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu,

The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God.

4 unjengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga ekuseni okungelamayezi, njengokukhanya emva kokuna kwezulu okumilisa utshani emhlabathini.’

As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain.

5 Indlu yami kayifanelanga kuNkulunkulu na? Kanje kenzanga lami isivumelwano esingapheliyo esalungiswayo saqiniswa izigaba zonke na? Kambe kazukuphumelelisa ukusindiswa kwami angiphe konke engikufisayo na?

Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is all my salvation, and all my will: neither is there ought thereof that springeth not up.

6 Kodwa abantu ababi bonke bazaphoselwa eceleni njengameva, angabuthwayo ngesandla.

But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands.

7 Loba ngubani othinta ameva usebenzisa insimbi loba uluthi lomkhonto; ayatshiswa ngomlilo khonapho akhona.”

And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.

8 La ngamabizo amaqhawe kaDavida: UJoshebi-Bhasishebethi umThakemoni wayeyinduna yabaThathu, waphakamisela abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili umkhonto wakhe, ababulalayo ekuhlaseleni kunye.

These are the names of the valiant men of David. Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three, he was like the most tender little worm of the wood, who killed eight hundred men at one onset.

9 Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi. Njengomunye wamaqhawe amathathu, wayeloDavida lapho bechothoza amaFilistiya ayebuthanele impi ePhasi Damimi. Lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlehlela emuva,

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three valiant men that were with David when they defied the Philistines, and they were there gathered together to battle.

10 kodwa yena wajama wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya isandla sakhe saze sadinwa sanamathela enkembeni. Ngalelolanga uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu. Amabutho abuyela ku-Eleyazari ukuyahlubula abafileyo kuphela nje.

And when the men of Israel were gone away, he stood and smote the Philistines till his hand was weary, and grew stiff with the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day: and the people that were fled away, returned to take spoils of them that were slain.

11 Phansi kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana ka-Ageye umHarari. Kwathi amaFilistiya eseqoqene endaweni eyayilezindumba ezinengi, amabutho ako-Israyeli awabalekela.

And after him was Semma the son of Age of Arari. And the Philistines were gathered together in a troop: for there was a field full of lentils. And when the people were fled from the face of the Philistines,

12 Kodwa uShama wajama phakathi kwensimu. Wayivikela wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya, uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu.

He stood in the midst of the field, and defended it, and defeated the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great victory.

13 Ngesikhathi sokuvuna, abathathu ezinduneni ezingamatshumi amathathu baya kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, lapho ibutho lamaFilistiya lalimise eSigodini saseRefayi.

Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty, went down and came to David in the harvest time into the cave of Odollam: and the camp of the Philistines was in the valley of the giants.

14 Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.

And David was then in a hold. and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem.

15 UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”

And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate.

16 Ngakho amaqhawe amathathu adabula phakathi kwamaviyo amaFilistiya, akha amanzi emthonjeni eduze lesango laseBhethilehema ahamba lawo kuDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, esikhundleni salokho wawathela phambi kukaThixo.

And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord,

17 Wathi, “Akungenzeki, Oh Thixo, ukuba ngenze lokhu. Akusigazi labantu abahambe befake ukuphila kwabo engozini na?” UDavida kawanathanga. Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zalawomabutho womathathu.

Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men.

18 U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.

Abisai also the brother of Joab, the son of Sarvia, was chief among three: and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

19 Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu kulabaThathu na? Waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.

And the noblest of three, and was their chief, but to the three first he attained not.

20 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.

And Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of great deeds, of Cabseel: he slew the two lions of Moab, and he went down, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit, in the time of snow.

21 Njalo wabulala umGibhithe owayemkhulu kakhulu. Lanxa umGibhithe lowo wayephethe umkhonto, uBhenaya wamhlasela ngenduku. Wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.

He also slew an Egyptian, a man worthy to be a sight, having a spear in his hand: but he went down to him with a rod, and forced the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear.

22 Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada; laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.

These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.

23 Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamaTshumi Amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.

And he was renowned among the three valiant men, who were the most honourable among the thirty: but he attained riot to the first three: and David made him of his privy council.

24 Phakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu labo kwakuyilaba: U-Asaheli umfowabo kaJowabi, u-Elihanani indodana kaDodo waseBhethilehema,

Asael the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elehanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem.

25 uShama umHarodi, u-Elika umHarodi,

Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harodi,

26 uHelezi umPhalithi, u-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,

Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,

27 u-Abhiyezeri wase-Anathothi, uSibhekhayi umHushathi,

Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,

28 uZalimoni umʼAhohi, uMaharayi umNethofa,

Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 uHeledi indodana kaBhana umNethofa, u-Ithayi indodana kaRibhayi owaseGibhiya koBhenjamini,

Heled the son of Baana, also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,

30 uBhenaya umPhirathoni, uHidayi wasezindongeni zaseGashi,

Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the torrent Gaas,

31 u-Abhi-Alibhoni umʼAribhathi, u-Azimavethi umBharihumi,

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi,

32 u-Eliyaba umShalibhoni, amadodana kaJasheni, uJonathani

Eliaba of Salaboni. The sons of Jassen, Jonathan,

33 indodana kaShama umHarari, u-Ahiyamu indodana kaSharari umHarari,

Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite,

34 u-Elifelethi indodana ka-Ahasibhayi umʼMahakhathi, u-Eliyami indodana ka-Ahithofeli umGiloni,

Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,

35 uHeziro umKhameli, uPharayi umʼAribhi,

Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

36 u-Igali indodana kaNathani waseZobha, indodana kaHagiri,

Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

37 uZelekhi umʼAmoni, uNaharayi umBherothi, owayethwala izikhali zikaJowabi, indodana kaZeruya,

Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia,

38 u-Ira umʼIthira, uGarebhi umʼIthiri

Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite;

39 kanye lo-Uriya umHithi. Bebonke babengamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa.

Urias the Hethite, thirty and seven in all.